What is the essence of theosophy? It is the fact that man, being himself divine, can know the divinity whose life he shares. As an inevitable corollary to this supreme truth comes the fact of the brotherhood of man.
Annie BesantRead
Knowledge is essential to conquest; only according to our ignorance are we helpless. Thought creates character. Character can dominate conditions. Will creates circumstances and environment.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Knowledge empowers us to overcome challenges, and our character, shaped by our thoughts, influences our surroundings.
Annie Besant emphasizes the significance of knowledge as a powerful tool in overcoming obstacles and achieving mastery in life. She argues that our ignorance leads to helplessness, while our thoughts shape our character, which in turn affects our ability to navigate our conditions and environment. The quote suggests that by fostering knowledge and strong character, we can actively create the circumstances we desire, rather than being passive victims of our surroundings.
Themes
KnowledgeCharacterWillIgnoranceCircumstances
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about resilience, this quote can emphasize the importance of knowledge in overcoming life's challenges.
More from Annie Besant
All quotes →No durable things are built on violent passion. Nature grows her plants in silence and in darkness, and only when they have become strong do they put their heads above the ground.
Annie BesantRead
Death consists, indeed, in a repeated process of unrobing, or unsheathing. The immortal part of man shakes off from itself, one after the other, its outer casings, and - as the snake from its skin, the butterfly from its chrysalis - emerges from one after another, passing into a higher state of consciousness.
Annie BesantRead
Let Indian history be set side by side with Europe history with what there is of the latter century by century and let us see whether India need blush at the comparison.
Annie BesantRead
My own life in India, since I came to it in 1893 to make it my home, has been devoted to one purpose, to give back to India her ancient freedom.
Annie BesantRead
Matter is, in its constituent elements, the same as spirit; existence is one, however manifold in its phenomena; life is one, however multiform in its evolution.
Annie BesantRead
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